


Way Down

by Yesthatsmynaturalcolour



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)
Genre: Boys In Love, Curse Breaking, F/M, First Kiss, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rescue, Rescue Missions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:55:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29897322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yesthatsmynaturalcolour/pseuds/Yesthatsmynaturalcolour
Summary: They couldn’t just leave Willie at the hands of Caleb after everything; they had to get him back. They had to try.
Relationships: Alex Mercer/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 2
Kudos: 51





	Way Down

**Author's Note:**

> This was based on a tumblr post by keitozworld who said “ i just wanna see alex tuck a strand of willie’s hair behind his ear” followed by wlwcarries tags on that post that mentioned Alex doing it when he saved his boyfriend.

The band is so focused on the fact there back, that the curse is lifted and everything’s going to be okay. Unfinished business aside and everything else doesn’t matter anymore because they're together and they get to play music, and that’s really all that matters right? 

Luke and Julie launch into writing beautiful songs together, composing all kinds of fun and creative things that just blow each and every single one before out of the park using all those emotions and feelings from their ordeal to channel beautiful music. Reggie has taken up communicating with Carlos; after all the boy knows there around now so there’s no point in pretending and honestly? Reggie really likes him. He spends a lot of his time with the other Molina sibling working on who knows what-conspiracy theories and ideas of the ghost world? 

Alex was just as glad as everyone else he wasn’t going to just suddenly move on, and suddenly lose everything after just getting something at least close to happiness. The band was back, the guys were happy, they’d get to make music and do what they always loved and always enjoyed...but Alex was alone a lot...more than a lot. He was pretty much always alone now-Luke occupied by Julie and Reggie by Ray(who still didn’t know about them) and Carlos. Alex just...wandered. Up and down the streets of LA until they needed him to play or practice. He’d show up for those couple hours enjoying the routine of drumming and being able to work through some stuff through those motions...only to find himself right back here in the end.

Willie was gone; likely because of the fact he helped them, or because Caleb lost them to Julie and he was taking it out on the poor skater...either way he was gone and it was Alex’s fault. They’d joked-you never forget your First Ghost, and all kinds of stuff that they thought was helpful. About focusing on music, and that he’ll meet other ghosts. But he didn’t want to meet other ghosts. Other Ghost didn’t call him Hot Dog, and hold his hand while trying to teach him to skate. They didn’t help him scream away the anxiety and...they didn’t make him feel whole. 

Willie made Alex feel like he mattered and without it-he was left with that ache across his chest and no real purpose. Was he just to play drums? Always and forever? Alex didn’t know if he could do that-but being dead complicated things. He couldn’t….do much else. So he was left to just worry about Willie. To worry what happened to the long haired man who made Alex feel like he had purpose-if he was suffering. If he was hurting-oh god what he was hurting? Those painful jolts that he felt coming back to his mind. What if he was waiting for Alex to save him and all Alex was doing was aimlessly wandering around Los Angeles. If he hadn’t been so set on helping the guys get back at Trevor, if he hadn’t been so intent on answering all his anxiety filled questions-they could of just been happy. They could of skated through the city and run through closed places with no one to stop them. Willie could teach him about Justin Bieber and some of those other names he mentioned. Instead he was probably gone- and it was Alex’s fault. He was suffering and no longer free all because of them and-

“Alex!” The voice managed to make it through his thoughts, there were hands on him a lot of them and he felt himself dragged up against something warm. There were to many hands-his hands shifted by they were caught being held gently against his chest. “Alex!” The voice shouted again, it sounded so scared...why were they scared? Was...was it Willie calling for him? 

Why couldn’t he move?

His focus shifted from the racing thoughts to the touch, the hands on him and the voices all around him. His panic and horrified thoughts slowly fading as he tried to figure out what was going on. It felt-everything felt tight and painful and like he couldn’t breath. But he was a ghost right? He didn’t need to breath-so what was going on? It felt like his chest was being squished slowly by an elephant-making it impossible to take in any air-and then it all clicked and he gasped. Arching against the body holding him with a cough. 

He hadn’t had a panic attack this bad since 1994.

“Alex Alex please-“ The voice pleaded in his ear, it didn’t sound so scared anymore-it sounded like they were crying. Pleading with so much sorrow and Alex focused on that. On the whispered cries and pleas as the world slowly shifted into focus. Things returned slowly. One by one-

Julie was crouched over him, her dark eyes filled with tears as she kneeled close but her hands were to herself. She looked so scared and Alex wanted to ask her why, but her face lit up seeing him look at her. “Hey-Hey Alex…” She soothed his hands fumbled and gently she moved to grasp it tightly. The other one being caught and he turned to see Reggie-he had the same expression Julie did.

Which means the body behind him, rubbing over his chest and rocking him is Luke. Slowly the whispers come through, coaching him to breath and calm down. To slowly and gently bring him down from the peak he got lost him and slowly, and oh so slowly, he comes down. He’s breathing now, heavily and shakily but there coming in. The tightness eases up slowly and slightly. Unwinding from around his heart and lungs and he’s just spent, tears running down his cheek and his face burns with embarrassment.

“I wish I could get him some water.” Julie whispered playfully to the guys trying to lighten her own anxiety and racing heart over worry for the blonde, Reggie laughs sympathetically but Luke’s focus is all on Alex. 

“You back?” He whispers softly when he feels all the muscles unclench in the other and Alex gives a weak nodd. Luke sinks into him with a sharp noise and squeezes Alex against him. 

“W-What was that? Was that Caleb? I thought we fixed it…” Julie asked softly, panic creeping into her voice a bit that they’d still lose one of them. That she didn’t save them all. Alex’s breathing hitches at the name and he feels that panic creep back up into his skin and Luke shushes him softly, his hands in his hair.

“Breath. Breath Alex...I’ve got you I’m right here.” He coaches softly, Julie gets the hint the poor girl and doesn’t say anything, watching as Luke coaches the other down again before it can spiral. They don’t move, no one moves at all. Just gently touching over him rubbing over his hands, through his hair and finally Alex just feels exhausted. Like he can fall through the floor and never come back. Luke is solid behind him though keeping him from doing just that.

No one asks, no one says anything, unsure if moving will spark anything or change anything. Alex can’t find his voice right now and they don’t seem to mind. He’s not even sure how long passes, Reggies climbing up slowly staying in eyesight to turn on the radio before coming back. The silence being filled does it’s job to calm him more and he finally feels stable enough to curl more against Luke. The man simply adjusts his legs and pulls him tighter against him. He can tell their scared, there worried and he owes them answers.

“I’m sorry.” Is the first thing out of his mouth, it doesn’t even sound like him. Croaked out through sandpaper and glass and Luke shushes him softly. 

“That was - that was a bad one.” Luke whispered finally, unable to help himself. His hands are still shaking at the image. They’d been playing, messing around and Reggie had just gotten back from the main house. He’d turned to ask Alex if he was ready to find the drummer curled against himself against the wall. He wasn’t making a noise, but he kept flickering and honesty it scared Luke in ways he hadn’t been scared before. Because before it had been all of them, all together but the idea of losing only Alex?. He wrapped around the other afraid he’d vanish and they’d never see him again if they didn’t, if he didn’t hold him like Luke was the thing keeping him here. He’d recognized what it was right away and there wasn’t anything more they could do. Nothing to bring him back around until he was ready.

“What happened?” Julie finally whispered, even her hands were shaking.

“It’s...sometimes he gets them. Panic attacks and stuff. He use to have an inhaler for it...and we had all kinds of techniques like salt, or breathing exercises...but now that…” Reggie gestured. “None of them would work the same…”

“I’m so sorry Alex…” Julie whispered her hands coming up to comb through his hair and he closed his eyes. “Do you want to talk about it or are you not ready?”

Alex didn’t feel like he’d ever be ready but the name was through his lips before he could stop himself. “Willie.” He forced out and it seemed like Reggie suddenly remembered as well. Luke tensing behind him a bit. “I haven’t seen him since-since he helped us play the show….I’m so worried-worried Caleb hurt him because of us. That something-that he needs our help but I don’t know how to save him without risking everything again.” He rambled that sharp tone coming and Luke pressed gently grounding him again.

“Well….maybe I can lift Willies curse the way I did yours?” Julie offered looking between the three ghosts. “Maybe I can save him to...I can set him free…” 

“Jules…” Luke said softly. “We don’t even know if you can see him. You haven’t seen other ghosts until us yeah? If you can’t see him-who knows if you can hug him? As far as we know we’ve got connections to you….but he doesn’t.”

“He’s got Willie.” Julie said firmly. “And that’s enough to try right? We can’t just leave someone who saved you to suffer a horrible, dark death. You guys have me, and each other. He-he only has Alex.” She defended.

“But what are we going to do? Caleb won’t let him out if he does have him, and it’s not like we can go in to get him. And for all we know he’ll hurt you!” Luke protested.

“That’s not true.” Julie pointed out. “We got into the Orpheum.” She countered. “Something you also thought was impossible. You know where this club is right?” They nodded. “Then we just need to come up with a plan- and he’s a ghost what’s the worst he can do to me?”

“But Caleb says they move around a lot…” Reggie added. “That they play all over the world.”

“But Willie doesnt. He stays here.” Alex whispered. “We don’t know if all ghosts can travel the same way….”

“And it’s worth a shot-if we worry about the what if’s we’ll never help him.” Julie said firmly. “We’ve just got to come up with a plan to get into the club and find him…” 

“Caleb...Has all this staff and crew. If someone were to sneak in he might not even notice.” Luke reasoned. “All these waitresses and waiters-but we won’t be able to just walk right in. He’s probably waiting for us-for Alex if anything.”

“Maybe that’s it!” Julie grinned, shifting to look at them. “Maybe we play into that. That he’s looking and waiting for Alex to come to Willie. It’ll lead us right to him and when we’ve got him boom-We set him free and run!” She gestured. “It’s not like he can curse you again! Your free from him.”

“We don’t know what else he’s capable of…” Reggie pointed out.

“I’ll do it.” Alex said firmly, sitting up slowly with Luke’s help. “I don’t care about the risks. Willie risked it all for us-we can do the same.” Julie beamed at him, slowly pulling him into a hug before they were getting to work. Alex had to play a part-and he was willing to do it if it meant freeing the other. Even if it meant risking everything again. He couldn’t do it, he couldn’t keep going and drumming. Being this ghost knowing the cost. Once Alex seemed sure and aware enough they started talking, discussing everything and all with Julie they could possibly think of.

They needed to do this right or they’d end up in a bigger mess than before. After all there was no beating Caleb. There was only saving Willie and hoping he’d back off or something-maybe. Either way there focus and goal was set and everything else could come later.

Turns out Caleb was waiting for them to make the first move he knew Alex would come for Willie and the moment they’d made contact he was there at the spot Alex had set. A dazzling display of elegance and not at all phased by the blonde all alone in front of him. “Oh goodness, Alexander have you changed your mind all alone? Where are your friends?”

“Where’s Willie?” Alex demanded, ignoring everything else. “I know you have him.” He hadn’t ever had so much confidence in his voice and even Caleb raised a brow at him. 

“So rude-I asked a question….have you. Changed your mind?” He repeated. “After all Alexander I did tell you you could have everything and anything you desired if you joined...including Willie…”

“I want to see him first.” Alex said looking at him. Calebs eerily blue eyes and wide smile. He gestured and the air shifted Willie appearing next to him with a noise, his eyes going wide to see the blonde.

“Alex.” He couldn’t help but be shocked, he’d thought surely the other had crossed over but here he was. Completely unphased and before him. “Alex what are-“ Caleb was quick to silence him with those familiar shocks that made the other jerk. 

“How do I know you won’t just kill him?” Alex asked softly looking at the other as his eyes widened looking up at him. He couldn’t…

“My promise means everything of course.” Caleb said simply. “Im never one to break a promise….“ 

“That’s not enough.” Alex said firmly. “I want him to be safe-to he free.” Calebs eyes widened a bit but he was quick to cover it. 

“Why I think that’s more than a fair trade, I can always get another waiter.” He mocked. “So-do we have a deal.” He repeated his hand reaching out to Alex.

“Let me...let me say goodbye.” Alex whispered the tears coming now, and it only seemed to delight Caleb more. He seemed to agree because he let Willie rush over, the man’s arms wrapping around Alex’s. 

“You can’t-you can’t do this Alex it’s not worth it! I’m not worth it!” He protested his voice was rough, tears in those beautiful doe eyes and Alex only smiled. A mantra of please work please work in his head.

“Hold on.” He whispered wrapping around the other tightly and in an instant they were in the studio. Willies eyes going wide as he jerked away, the shock running through his body with a gasp. “We don’t have much time Calebs going to know where I took you-I had. I had to get you out of there.” Alex whispered frantacilly. “I couldn’t leave you there to die by his hand not after everything you did for us.”

“Alex.” Willie whispered tearfully, but the blonde only wrapped around him squeezing tightly. “You idiot.” He couldn’t help it laughing as he held right back. His fingers digging into the other. “He’s going to kill us both don’t you get that? How-how did-“ He jolted again with a cry.

“I-Julie. Julie saved us and maybe. Maybe she can save you to?” He asked tearfully. Looking up at the dark haired girl sitting with Luke and Reggie, she climbed up and she was looking right at him.

She could see him.

She could see him!

“It’s nice to finally meet you...Can I?.” She said softly, her own eyes filled with tears as she gestured and they shifted to make room for her to be wrapped around the two of them. Pouring every emotion possible into it, her love for sweet, gentle Alex. The one who always made she was okay and checked on her, and this poor soul who’d been tortured and abused by this man who tried to take her boys from her. How she just wanted to save him to how she wanted to save all of them and she felt that warmth and sensation as if the other was solid under her hands in the same way. 

Willie jerked his eyes wide looking between the two. “You-how?” 

“Honestly we have no idea but we’re not going to question it too much.” Luke joked softly, his own eyes wet at the thought that they did it. They saved him, they saved another from Caleb. Julie stepped away her hands touching the two of them but slowly moving to give them space. Overwhelmed she’d managed to save another from Caleb, it had to mean something right?

Willie looked at Alex, his face breaking out into an impossible smile as he tossed himself at the blonde again the two almost rocking as they squeezed one another. Sure, they were both ghosts. They were both dead-but they weren’t cursed anymore. They weren’t trapped and tied to this fate-and they were together. 

They slowly pulled back but the hands and arms still twined together. Willies hair falling around his face and Alex gently reached to push it back behind his ear to see his face properly, that brilliant smile across his innocent face and Willie was almost speechless. “You...you really came. You came to save me.” He couldn’t believe it.

Alex could only smile through his own tears and emotions. “I told you I’d follow you.” He joked roughly, and Willie pulled him close again, only this time his hand found the back of the blondes hair, pulling him close so their lips could meet. 

They’d have forever now.


End file.
